Switch



Man 'ch 19, 1929. J. SANDIN ET AL 'SWTTCH Filed April 12, 1927 INVENTORSHerbert J. Cr'abbs And Je1 me 'Sandin wlmssss;

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED-STAT S; PAT OFFICEQ JEROME S-ANDIN,

GRABBS, OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS'TO' A CORPORATION OFFENNSYLVANIA.

AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

0F PENN TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, AND IIEIRBERT J.

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC Application filed April 12, 1927. Serial No.183,126]

switch of this type force'rtain installations generally comprises a basemember having spaced'm'sulators (lISPOSGCl tllGI'GlII for supportmgterminal members. The terminal members are usually electricallyconnectedin the'close'd position of theswitch by'a flexible shuntcarried by a mechanism which is adapted to move one end of the shunt andthereby make or break the electrical connection between the terminals.Heretofore, it has been the general practice to provide links forsupporting the fleXible shunt, the latter being wound around, vorpermitted to rest upon,the supporting links. This construction isundesirable since the flexible shunt is so constrained by contact withthe links, as to be bent sharplyin a great number-of places'and alsobecause of the- I abrasion to which the shunt is obviously subject-ed.[The shunt is I materially impaired and its life greatly shortened. 1

It s an object of our invention to provide a disconnecting switch of theabove type having means associated with the shunt-support- 1n tie n ofthe shunt eliminating sharp bends therein and maintaining it clear ofthe other members of the switch mechanism at all times.

Another object of our invention is to provide a disconnecting switch ofthe same type having means for supporting the shunt substantially in theplane of the movement of the shunt support and one that shall maintainthe shunt clear of all members of the switch mechanism.

These and other objects that maybe made apparent throughout the furtherdescription of our invention are attained by-the appa= 0' mechanism forpredetermining the posiratus hereinafter described, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is an enlarged detail view of one oi the parts included in aswitch mechanism embodying our invention.

7 Fig. 2 is a side view of the part shown in Fig. 1, and f I Fig. 3 isa' side view, in elevation, of a;

switch mechanism embodying our invention. In practicing our invention,we provide a switch mechanism comprising a base 11, a

pair or spaced insulators'12and 13 disposed on the base, terminalmembers 14 and 15 carried by the respective insulators '12 and 13, aninsulator 16 movably m'ounted,as indicated at 17, amovable switch member18 carried by the insulators12and 16- adaptedfto engage switch jaws 19disposed on the termi nal member 15, a flexible shunt 21 forelectricallyconnecting the terminal member 14 to the switch member 18and means22 cooperating with the movable switch member for supporting,and predetermining the position of, the shunt 21.

Referring to the drawings, the movable switch member 18 comprises acontact memv ber 20 for engaging the switch jaws 19, a pair" of links 23and 24connected at their adjacent ends by apivot 25. The other ends ofthe links'23 and 2 1 are pivotally connected to the terminal member 14:,and contact member-20 respectively by means of pivots 26 and 27.

The shunt-supporting means 22 comprises an arcuate' resilient m emb'er29"fastened to the pivot 25 adjacent its-centerby any suitable means,such as clamp 31' shown in Fig. 1. Theends of the member129'are fastenedto the shunt 21- by means of bolts 32.

Fig.3 shows the switch mechanismin its closed position, as illustratedby the solid lines, and in its open position, as illustrated by thebr'okenlines.

The shunt 21 is connected to the terminal. member 14; by any suitablemeans, such as the screws 33, and to the contact member 20 by the screws34. Clamps 35 are provided at certain points for rendering the shuntmore,

rigid and aligning a plurality of shunt memhere which maybe employedwhere a single shunt would be inadequate in current-carrytion, and also,in cases where the shunt 21 is 1ngcapacity,in a predetermined spacerelaw of sufficient length to require additional sup v ports, members 38and 39 may be provided for cooperating with the links 23 and 24 and theshunt 21 for holding the shunt more rigidly in place.

The movable contact member is mounted on the insulator 16 by means of apivot 36 and is adapted to turn thereon to a predetermined extent whennecessary upon separation of the contact member 20 from the switch jaws19 for the purpose of breaking any corrosive seal that may form upon thecontact jaws.

A stop member 37 is provided on the insulator 16 for cooperating withthe pivot 27 to limit the movement of the contact member 20.

Referring to Fig. 3, when'the switch is being opened the contact member20 turns on the pivot 36 in a clockwise direction until the pivot 27vcomes into engagement with the stop 37. Thereafter, the stop 37 and thepivots 27 and 36, cooperate to holdthe contact 20 relative to theinsulator 16, until disengagement of the contact member 20 from theswitch jaws 19 is completed. Arcing horns 40 are provided on the contactmember 20 and switch jaws 19 for their protection, which is the usualpractice in switch mechanism of this type.

Accordingly, we have devised a disconnect ing switch comprising aflexible shunt for electrically connecting its terminals and a supportfor the shunt carried by the switch mechanism and arranged to supportthe shunt at a plurality of spaced positions, whereby it is maintainedclear of the path of the movement of all parts of the switch mechanism.

While we have illustrated and d ascribed only one embodiment of ourinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain.changes, modifications, substitutions, additions anc omissions may bemade in the switch mechanism above described without departing fromthcspirit and scope of the ap )ended claims. v

e claim as our invention:

, 1. Switch mechanism comprising switch jaws, a movable contact memberfor engaging the switch aws, a fixed terminal member, a

flexible shunt connecting the fixed terminal to the movable contactmember and means comprising a linkage pivotally connected to the fixedterminal member and the movable contact member and a support pivoted tothe linkage for supporting the flexible shunt in such manner as toprevent sharp bends therein.

2. Switch mechanism comprising switch jaws, a movable contact member forengaging the switch jaws, a fixed'terminal member, a flexible shuntconnecting the fixed terminal to the movable contact member and meansfor supporting the shunt substantially in the plane of movement of themovable contact member and clear of all of the said members comprising apair of hinged links and a support connected adjacent its ends to theshunt, and pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the said links.

3. The combination with a disconnecting switch having fixed contactjaws, a movable contact memberfor engaging the'contact jaws, a fixedterminal member, a flexible shunt connecting the fixed terminal and thecontact member and a folding support for the shunt, of a means carriedby the folding support comprising links pivotally connected "to thesupport for supporting the flexible shunt at a plurality of spacedpoints, whereby the flexible shunt is maintained clear of the foldingsupport.

4. A switch mechanism comprising a base,

a pair of spaced terminals, a Switchblade having two parts, thecontiguous ends of the two parts being pivotally connected together, aflexible shunt for electrically connecting the remote ends of the switchblade having a resilient member disposed on the center-pivot portionthereof for supporting the flexible shunt free from the blade.

5. In a switch mechanism comprising a basemember, a pair of spacedterminals, and a flexible conductor for electrically connecting theterminals, a support for the conductor comprising two members pivotallyconnected together and pivotally supported at one end adjacent oneof thesaid terminal members, a movable insulator for supporting the other endand a resilient member for cooperating with the said support and theflexible conductor for maintaining spaced relation to the said support.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 8th dayof April, 1927, I

JEROME SANDIN. HERBERT J. CRABBS.

